Annual Campus Security Report NYU Accra 2014-2015 In compliance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998 (formerly the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990), NYU Accra submits its annual campus security report. The utmost safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors is a top priority for New York University. We are dedicated to maintaining a campus where learning excels in an environment unencumbered by safety concerns or fear for personal well-being. Although the area surrounding the NYU Accra site has a low violent crime rate, crime prevention remains a high priority. NYU seeks to ensure the safety of its students and employees. The local police force, a closely screened and well trained staff, and the students themselves all share in the responsibility of making NYU Accra a safe place to study, work and live. NYU Accra Fall 2014 Update Due to concerns related to the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, NYU suspended coursework at NYU Accra for the Fall 2014 semester. Security and Safety NYU Accra utilizes contractual security personnel of Intercon Security who do not have police designation. Intercon Security has been carefully vetted by the University with the goal of ensuring that the standards enjoyed by the students at the NYU campus in New York City are met. Representatives from Intercon Security regularly meet with NYU Accra site administrators to discuss security issues and ways to improve the services provided. All the NYU Accra locations have security guard service seven days a week, 24 hours a day, rendered by Intercon Security Company. Site administrators also maintain a dialogue with the Cantonments police branch of the Ghana Police Service to foster a good working relationship between the organizations. During orientation, held during the week of students arrival, students are advised on security tips for their stay in Accra and are given a written copy of the safety and security tips, listed on page 5, below. The General Manager of Intercon Security Company is invited to give students updated information and tips on security. In cases of emergency, students are advised to contact the following staff members and the main office: Email: nyu.in.ghana@nyu.edu NYU Accra Office: 233 21-761528 Marian Ansah-Otu (Student Life Coordinator) 233 243-150011 1
Victor Kweku Yeboah (Internship/Community Service and Security Coordinator) 233-243-558376 In the event of a crime, the University encourages students, faculty and staff to promptly report all incidents to the individuals previously listed, as well as to the local police. In the event of an emergency, criminal act or other event that necessitates notification to the student population: 1. An incident report form is filled immediately after the occurrence of the incident. The report is then sent to New York. All incident reports are forwarded to NYU Public Safety Department in New York City, where the appropriate incidents will be reflected in the annual security report for the site. 2. A security email is quickly sent to the students as precaution for avoiding further occurrences. 3. All Community Resource Assistants (CRAs) will be instructed to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the security situation in the dorms and the general neighborhood of Labone. Security and Access in NYU Accra Housing All of the NYU Accra student housing facilities are located within the vicinity of Labone residential area and have uniformed security guards posted 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The University does not identify the exact address of where students reside for security reasons. Students studying at NYU Accra may reside in single occupancy, double occupancy or triple occupancy housing options. The two NYU Accra housing facilities utilize a combination of safety and security technologies, including: 24/7 electric fences linked to the Intercon control room Smoke detectors 24/7 Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) surveillance cameras Panic buttons in all student rooms linked to the Intercon Security control room Access control proximity card readers Remote panic button for guards at posts, linked to the Intercon control room Church Crescent (Student Dorm) has the following systems in place: 24/7 electric fence linked to the Intercon Security control room through the alarm system 24/7 CCTV surveillance camera Security light on the street Card operated access control doors at all houses (1,2,3,4) Panic buttons in all the student rooms Emergency exit door with alarm at all houses (1,2,3,4) 2
Remote panic for guards A communication radio for guard at post Abafun Crescent (Faculty House) has the following systems in place: 24/7 electric fence linked to control room through the alarm system 24/7 CCTV surveillance camera Remote panic buttons for visiting faculty Remote panic buttons for guards at post A communication radio for guards at post Security and Access at NYU Accra Campus Facilities Centre for Technology & Economic Development (the Former Academic Center) has the following systems in place: 24/7 electric fence linked to the Intercon Security control room through the alarm system 24/7 CCTV surveillance cameras Remote panic button for guards at post, linked to the Intercon Security control room Security light on the street A communication radio for guards at post The New Academic Centre (the current NYU Accra offices and classrooms) has the following systems in place: 24/7 electric fence linked to the Intercon Security control room through the alarm system 24/7 CCTV surveillance camera Security light on the street A communication radio for guards at post Fire alarm system 3
Access to the Academic Center/NYU Accra office and all other facilities at NYU Accra is through the main security gate controlled by a security guard. The security guard inspects students ID cards and confirms visitors identities before permitting entry. NYU Accra staff at the Academic Center work from Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Maintenance and repairs of the security devices is performed by the technical manager of the Intercon Security Company. When a malfunctioning security device is detected, the Community Resource Assistant informs the Internship/Community Service and Security Coordinator and immediate action is taken to repair the faulty equipment. Landscaping and trimming of hedges are performed by NYU Accra approved gardeners. Door lock repairs are performed by an NYU Accra approved carpenter. The Finance and Facilities Manager (Patricia Twum, phone number +233-243-150007) is responsible for the maintenance of the general repair work. The Internship/Community Service and Security Coordinator (Victor Kweku Yeboah, phone number +233-243-558376) ensures that security equipment is functioning well and that faulty equipment is repaired immediately. Students are provided with a form to complete when items in the dorms are broken. The form is sent to the Facilities Manager for prompt action to be taken on the repair. NYU Accra s access policy was developed by the Internship/Community Service & Security Coordinator in collaboration with the Facilities Manager, endorsed by the Associate Director, and is enforced by the Internship/Community Service & Security Coordinator. Policies The New York University Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence, and Stalking Policy and Protocols, Policies on Substance Abuse and Alcoholic Beverages, and the Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures, outlined in the main NYU Campus Security and Fire Safety report, are applicable to all Global Academic Centers. During orientation, these policies and site-specific security policies and programs are discussed. Students are encouraged to remain vigilant and be responsible for their personal safety. Students seeking to report or obtain assistance regarding an incident are advised to contact the appropriate site administrator(s) as indicated in this report. 4
Security Tips given to Students during Security Orientation 1. Students are encouraged to always walk in pairs or groups. 2. Always watch who is walking in front of you and behind you to see if they are following you. Keep your head up and make eye contact always. 3. Avoid walking in isolated places. Stick to well-lit areas and use main roads and walk with confidence and purpose. 4. Always hang your bag firmly on your shoulders (better to tuck the bag under the arm) away from the traffic side of the road to avoid snatching. It is advised that you don t carry your bag across your body/diagonally to avoid being dragged along in case it is snatched. 5. Do not shop on the move on streets and at traffic lights (there is some risk of your money being taken away when the vehicle moves). 6. In Ghanaian culture, it is appropriate to wear clothes that do not expose certain parts of the body unduly. Low cut and micro-mini skirts, shirts /tops are generally frowned upon. There may be exceptions to this rule in Accra as it is a cosmopolitan capital, but outside of Accra it is advised that you dress more conservatively. 7. If you have a particular route that you want the driver to take, tell him and insist that it be followed. You should pick up a taxi at a taxi stand located at a hotel or high-end restaurant. Always insist that the driver sends you to your destination first before going anywhere else. If you are alone it is advisable to sit directly behind the driver. 8. If drinking in a nightclub be wary of strangers that would like to drink with you, and always protect your drink, don t leave it unattended so that a drug could be dropped in it. 9. Never carry your passports, credit cards and ATM cards with you in town unnecessarily. Avoid withdrawing cash at ATMs late in the night so that you do not fall prey to thieves. 10. Avoid taking photographs of security posts, airports, and diplomatic missions. These may not be permitted for security reasons. Also military facilities, police stations, bridges, and government buildings. 5
6